To 17-year-old Abby Cain, status isn’t everything. Well, unless you’re talking about STATUS, her online clothing and accessories boutique. The shop officially opened its virtual doors in July of 2018, but Abby has been working on her entrepreneurial dreams since she was 16.
“Something that is really important to me is that anyone can buy things that make them feel good about themselves without thinking that they have to spend a lot of money,” she told us, and that’s exactly what she set out to do. STATUS is all about looking and feeling fabulous without having to pay a high price just to express yourself. Fashion is a huge part of Abby’s life, and she knows it’s important to other people, too. Unfortunately, those fashion goals can be just out of reach when prices start climbing higher and higher.
Being part of the fashion scene isn’t a new dream for Abby. Even as a young girl, she was nose-deep in Vogue trying to put together the perfect outfits. It just wasn’t until recently that she really knew what she wanted to do with her love of fashion. “Two summers ago, I went to Market (which is where business owners buy their inventory), and I loved it,” she said. “After that, the thought of opening up a store was constantly coming up, but I pushed it to the back of my mind with the chaos of school and friends. I finally decided that if it was something that I was really interested in, I shouldn’t wait!”
Abby’s Favorite STATUS Looks
“For my first outfit, I wore the ‘Get It Together Skirt‘ and the ‘Hollywood Sweater’ (coming soon!!). I love this outfit because it’s super fun and something that you can shine in. It’s very girly but has a little bit of edge to it. I would wear this to a gathering with my friends.”
“For my second outfit, I wore the ‘Tie Dye For Top’ with some of my Paige pants. I love this outfit because it’s very casual. However, it can be easily dressed up with a jacket and jewelry. I always get compliments on this outfit when I wear it out. You can easily rock this outfit at any age! This outfit would be perfect for your school picture day or at a nice dinner outing.”
“For my third outfit, I wore the ‘Wild and Free Dress.’ I’m obsessed with this dress – I’ll admit, I probably overwear it! I love the zebra print detailing and the off-the-shoulder sleeves. Whenever I wear this dress, I don’t add anything to it, because the dress already makes its own statement. I would wear this dress on a vacation or a fun day of shopping!”
STATUS’ “About Us” page features a quote from American fashion designer and businesswoman Rachel Zoe; “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” Abby shared with us that this represents what STATUS is, “Your style reflects your personality! Fashion is a way for you to show who you are without caring what other people think.” This makes having access to fashion essential. “The first thing that I do when picking out new designs,” she said, “is make sure that I can sell them at a price that is affordable.”
Alongside affordability, Abby looks for items that are trendy and timeless, focusing more on personality than what is “in” at the moment. Shopping STATUS’ current stock, you’ll find animal prints, denim, rainbows, tie-dye, and all of the prints and styles that are not only trendy now but have been wardrobe staples for decades. “I think that my style caters to all different kinds of personalities,” Abby said, sharing that she wants STATUS to represent not only her tastes but those of her customers, so a lot of her decisions are guided by their feedback.
“Before I began STATUS, many people around me tried to discourage me by saying ‘I could never do it’ or ‘I’m not independent enough’,” Abby told us about being a teen entrepreneur. “Sometimes, I would let the comments get to me.” She looks back on the beginnings of STATUS as a time that taught her a lot but has also led her to keep learning. “I still don’t have all of the answers because I’m still figuring things out,” she said. While she acknowledges that taking the time to continue learning is important for being a successful business owner, she finds that having the right mindset is what gets her there. “It’s important to have a good mindset at all times because, in the end, it’s all going to be worth it.”
Right now, Abby is focused on expanding STATUS so that she can share her love of fashion with more people. “While I’m doing this, I want to make sure that all my customers have an amazing experience shopping with us,” she said. “I also hope to inspire other young adults to have the confidence to follow their dreams, even if their dreams don’t have anything to do with fashion.”
